1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to frequent shopper and phone cards and, more specifically, to a system and method for using a frequent shopper card as a phone calling card, and more particularly, to a system and method for transferring, in real time, phone time to a frequent shopper card having an account associated therewith.
2. Discussion of Background
In recent years, various methods and systems have been developed for the distribution and use of frequent shopper cards and phone calling certificates. A frequent shopper card may be in the form of an account encoded on a plastic card which triggers coupons/discounts to a card holder when presented at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a retail store. A phone calling certificate enables a shopper to purchase pre-paid phone time, for example, as taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/663,680. The phone calling certificate may be generated at a POS terminal in real time in the form of a printed slip bearing a personal identification number (PIN) and phone calling instructions. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/663,680, describes a system and method for generating self-authenticating PIN numbers on, for example, paper phone calling certificates printed at a POS terminal. The generation of the PIN is accomplished in real time, advantageously, deterring fraud, theft, and misuse, etc. of the phone calling certificates.
However, when the PINs used to obtain phone time are printed on paper, the paper may be easily damaged or destroyed.